


Birthday Resolutions

by breejah



Series: 'Quick Fic/Photo Prompt' Labyrinth Challenges [2]
Category: Labyrinth (1986)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, F/M, Kissing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-12
Updated: 2018-01-12
Packaged: 2019-03-03 20:23:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13348839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/breejah/pseuds/breejah
Summary: It's Sarah's birthday and Jareth has some resolutions to see through. My submission for the January challenge in the LFFL Facebook group. Challenge 1: Birthday: cake/candles, a gift, and a wish. Challenge 2: New Year: Confetti, resolutions(broken or not), and a kiss. I combined them! Enjoy!





	Birthday Resolutions

“Hurry up, already! We’re gonna be late to the lady’s birthday!”

“I’m comin’, gosh! Quit bein’ so grumpy all the times!”

The two goblins stole down one of the hallways at the castle beyond the goblin city, skittering to a halt when they saw their king pacing back and forth near the mirror portal at the end of the hall, pausing every now and then with a stern expression fixated on a random space only to begin pacing once more. He looked frustrated with the way his hands kept fisting in his hair and that made Moppity very nervous.

“Ohhhhh, crap! ABORT! ABORRRRT!” He whispered fiercely to his friend, trying to shove him back down the hallway where they wouldn’t be seen. However, it seemed they were too late. A very scary, very perturbed voice rang out behind them.

“You there! Where do you think you’re going?”

The two goblins froze, eyes wide and faces comical in their combined anxiety at having been caught. They briefly looked at each other as they saw the King approach, scrambling to shove their makeshift gifts behind their backs. Eyes wide and knees trembling, they remained stiff as he glared down at them, arms crossed across his chest.

“Well?”

“Er, y’see…we…were…we…were…” Moppity’s friend Pipsqueak began, only to waffle halfway through his excuse. Moppity felt his cheeks heat as he knew how badly Pipsqueak worked under pressure. Sure enough, Pipsqueak lasted about three seconds before throwing himself, and his present of sticks and ribbons made into a makeshift doll, down at the King’s feet, latching onto one of Jareth’s ankles with a sob.

“We jus’ wanted ta wish th’lady a happy birthday, y’Majesty! She’s so nice when we sneaks off to see her! We get candy an’ cookies an’…” As Pipsqueak continued to rail about their visits with the Aboveground Champion, Moppity noticed Jareth’s expression shift between confusion, realization, anger and then amusement.

“It’s Sarah’s birthday?” The King replied coolly, looking between the two. He raised an eyebrow at Moppity’s lack of groveling and the goblin blinked, immediately throwing himself on the floor in reverence.

“Yessir. She’s eighteen today! That’s what she said she’d be! What’s…. what’s eighteen mean, y’Majesty?” Pipsqueak asked, watching Jareth reach down and pick up his gift, jerking his ankle and kicking loose Pipsqueak’s grip. Pipsqueak continued to grovel alongside Moppity.

“It’s a very important time for a human,” The King started, then paused with a frown. Moppity and Pipsqueak waited, watching him. “And…well…. it’s important,” he snapped after several seconds. He gestured with a grimace. “And this is what you’d saw fit to give her? Pah.”

With a dismayed frown, Jareth tossed it over his shoulder and Pipsqueak watched it fall and break. His lower lip trembled and Moppity kicked him in the shin to make sure he didn’t start crying when Jareth grabbed his own gift, a goblin pie, and did the same. Moppity knew better than to say anything but he was secretly angry with the King, it had taken him hours picking out the right rat meat to bake the pie. Besides, it didn’t seem like the King had any more clue about what the word eighteen meant than they did. _Hmph._

“Give her this…” He replied coolly, tossing them both something new in place of their original gifts. Pipsqueak gasped and caught a crystal necklace with a glass-spun peach with glittering crystals embedded in the sides, like dew, at its center. Moppity was less enthused as he reached for his replacement but begrudgingly admired the beautiful miniature pink birthday cake with a single lit candle in the center that he was given instead of his pie. _Pah, still won’t taste as good as the rats!_

“Why don’tcha give them to th’lady yerself, Majesty?” Grumped Moppity on impulse. Pipsqueak stared at Moppity like he’d lost his mind, almost starting to grovel again with the necklace in his hand. Jareth narrowed his gaze and Moppity and Moppity gulped, wondering if he’d finally pushed the King too far.

“You’re right, Mopple. Why don’t I?”

With that, Jareth grabbed both the gifts and stalked with them towards the mirror portal, marching through.

“It’s Moppity….” The goblin replied with a frown. Blinking faintly and looking at one another, they hurriedly scrambled towards the mirror, wanting to join in the fun, only to come crashing into the mirror at full speed, falling back on their bottoms.

“No fair! I wanted candy!” Pipsqueak cried as Moppity stuck his tongue out at the mirror. Briefly, the image in the mirror flickered and Jareth was staring daggers at the two of them.

Startled, they shoved themselves to standing positions and ran down the hallway screaming.

 

* * *

 

 

“Moppity? Pipsqueak? Is that you?”

Jareth bit the inside of his cheek to avoid laughing at the image he saw through the mirror, watching the goblins run down the hallway like the devil was on their heels. He stiffened as he heard Sarah call from the hallway, looking down at himself with the birthday cake and necklace in his hands, setting them down on her dresser.

Suddenly nervous, he waved his hands frantically and changed outfits about ten times before settling on the casual outfit he wore in his throne room of grey leggings, black vest, black boots and loose peasant shirt.

The door opened and Sarah stepped inside with her head cast down, carrying loads of plastic bags that appeared to be filled with candy. She hadn’t noticed him yet and Jareth began to feel sweat beading on his brow. What the hell had he been thinking showing up like this?

When she closed the door behind her, she seemed to notice that no goblins greeted her. She frowned and tossed down her bags, turning towards the dresser and then noticing Jareth, letting out a faint shriek, her eyes wide and a hand coming to her mouth.

Jareth stared openly, loving the little pink dress she wore that clung to her blossoming curves as she continued to develop from the pretty teenager into the beautiful woman he knew she’d become one day. Her hair was shorter, cropped in loose waves around her shoulders, and she’d lost some of the childish plump only to have it replaced with womanly curves and leaner legs and arms.

“Hello, Sarah.” He offered, trying his best to remain calm and collected, but he found himself moving to sit on her bed before he lost his footing. Sarah must have thought he was about to grab her because she backed up suddenly, one hand grasping at the door. Her eyes darted around her room wildly, then fixated on the birthday cake and necklace.

She seemed wary, then simply confused, struggling for words. “Um, hi.”

He smiled faintly as he settled on the bed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Happy birthday, Sarah.”

“You know it’s my birthday?” She asked, blinking slowly as she moved away from her bedroom door.

“Well, no. I didn’t. I owe two goblins for the news. Your eighteenth, no less.” He grinned faintly, watching her squirm.

“Er, yeah. Where are they? You didn’t do anything to them, did you?” Sarah edged closer to the dresser, casting an eye at the cake and the necklace. He could tell that she didn’t want to admit it, but she liked the gifts with the way her eyes lingered on the necklace and the cake.

He flicked his wrist and soon the necklace was around her throat. Sarah gasped and he held up his hands to show he meant her no harm. Inwardly, he felt his ego deflate. This wasn’t going very well.

“Ok, what gives Jareth? You are a baby snatcher and a prick to boot, and now you’re playing nice? I’m not buying it.” Sarah glared briefly at him and sat at the bench that was at her dresser, grabbing her cake and inhaling to blow out her candle.

“Wait! You haven’t made your wish yet.” He grinned again, this time letting excitement get the better of him, leaning forward and trying to ignore her question. Maybe if she said the right words…

Sarah glared at him again, the narrowing of her eyes indicating she didn’t like his sense of bravado, giving a faint smirk as she opened her mouth again. “I wish the Goblin King would be honest with me for once in his miserable little life.” She whispered succulently. With that, she blew out the candle and plucked it from her cake, licking the frosting off the end and then tossing it in the trash.

Jareth blinked, taken aback. He felt his throat tingle and instantly regretted goading her into wishing. _That sneaky little brat…_ He snarled in his head, then amusedly followed it with: _I wonder where she picked that up from…._

“I….” _Fuck,_ he thought, swallowing nervously, beginning to squirm as he tried to resist the magic of the wish. Instantly, Sarah’s smugness dropped as her eyes widened in concern. Finally, unable to resist, he grimaced and bared his teeth at her angrily, feeling the power of the wish take over.

He began to talk in torrents, everything spilling out at once. “It’s a new year in the Underground. I can’t stop thinking about you. I’ve been meaning to visit for months but can’t seem to work up the nerve to. I’m totally, desperately, irrevocably, in love with you and scared you don’t feel the same. I want to take you from here, by force if I have to, and make sure you can’t ever leave me again. I hate that you’re friends with my subjects but not me. I hate that I feel this way and I can’t tell if you feel the same. I hate how weak you make me feel but I can’t stand to not be around you, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I watch you sleep from your window, curious why you don’t have a….what is it you call them here? A boyfriend…and wonder if it’s because of me. I pray it’s because of me…”

“Holy fuck, slow down…” Sarah blinked, her mouth falling open as Jareth glared fire from his eyes and his mouth moved of its own accord, spilling all his most embarrassing inner secrets.

“I…can’t…You wished for the truth….” He grit his teeth again, opening his mouth to continue. “In the Underground, we have a tradition to make new beginnings, toss away the old, start with the new…and I vowed I would tell you how I felt. I just…was weak…and couldn’t bring myself to do it. It seems though, precious, by your wish you remedied that rather quickly.”

Sarah swallowed visibly, not sure how to respond. Jareth’s cheekbones stained crimson and she gaped again, shocked that someone as proud as him could be embarrassed. She stood and he flinched on the bed, closing his eyes, ready for her to laugh at him and tell him to leave. _This was NOT how I planned for this to happen!_ He snarled in his head, feeling his heart tremble and prepare to break once more. His mouth thinned, finally finished humiliating him and spilling all his secrets, not looking in her gaze as she approached the bed.

“Look at me, Jareth.” She whispered, making him open his eyes when her palm gently brushed against his cheek. She smiled faintly and bit her lower lip. His eyes widened at her smile and he winced as his heart soared. _She’s not laughing! Does this mean…._ As his thoughts whirled in his head, it took all of his willpower not to lean forward and kiss her.

“That was…wow. A lot to take in.” She started, her lashes fluttering down and shielding her eyes and she stared at the pendant resting against his chest. What he wouldn’t give to know what is going on in that beautiful head of hers. She seemed to make some internal decision as her shoulders squared and she looked up at him, meeting his questioning gaze. “So, for starters, I don’t have a boyfriend because I can’t seem to get a certain blonde pain in the ass man I know out of my head. Do you think you know him?”

She grinned at him, her eyes seeming to glow briefly with amusement and he felt the tension leave his shoulders, slowly beginning to relax. His heart pounded and he found his hands beginning to sweat inside his gloves. He wanted to rip them off and kiss her senseless but was too afraid to interrupt her.

“You see, this guy stole my brother, and I really felt like I was the most wretched girl ever for having the audacity to like him. Even though he was a jerk at the best of times, but when he looked at me….” She sighed and he smirked, making her laugh and point at his grin. Which, of course, only made him grin wider at her.

“Yep, there it is. That damn look. Ugh, the things it does to my stomach,” She pressed a palm to her stomach and mock swooned in exaggeration, making him chuckle faintly as he swallowed thickly, his pulse turning into a dull roar in his ears as she continued. “And the worst part?” She whispered, leaning forward, her green eyes glittering with amusement. His insides, at this point, were in complete knots. He felt a stab of desire in his gut as he leaned forward, unable to resist, as her lips lingered near his ear. “I really, really had wished he’d just take me away to his castle and we’d live happily ever after.”

He let out a harsh breath, his hands fisting at his sides.

“Sarah…” Jareth swallowed, all his anxiety returning tenfold as he tilted his head back and cupped her cheek with his hand. She simply smiled back at him and he finally couldn’t resist anymore, bringing his mouth crushing down onto hers. Just as her fingers fisted into his hair and he was about to drag her across his lap to demonstrate just how deep his love for her went, they both tore apart in confusion when they heard a crash and then a series of pops. Blinking, they patted at their hair and felt pieces of paper and glitter all over their head and clothes, glancing back at the mirror that wobbled roughly on its pegs.

“Are we late?!” Moppity and Pipsqueak shouted with a grin, holding confetti guns in their hands as strings of paper fell to the ceiling and hung from the fan blades above them. “We found another portal the King didn’t blo—ohhhh crap. ABORT! ABORRRT!” Moppity blinked and shouted, backpedaling as soon as he saw the King and Sarah staring at them from the bed, one face amused and another scowling. Not waiting for a reply, Moppity shoved Pipsqueak back through the mirror as Sarah laughed, feeling her head turned by Jareth’s grip, where they resumed their kisses, falling back into the bed (where he demonstrated, for several exquisite hours, just how _deep_ his love ran for her).

**_End_ **


End file.
